September 7, 2003 - Fire fighters on the Wedge Canyon Fire have completed critical tasks in order to be prepared for the forecasted wind events over the next several days With these tasks completed, residents in the area can rest easier that their homes will likely not be threatened.
With the pending wind events, fire managers and residents along Trail Creek and the North Fork of the Flathead River have been very concerned about flames jumping containment lines and once again threatening homes. In order to best protect these homes. fire fighters have been working very hard to construct and reinforce the fire line in the Trail Creek Drainage and in Big and Round Prairies.
'We had two critical tasks that we really needed to complete prior to a cold front entering the area, "stated incident commander, Merrill Saleen. "We needed to complete fire line in the Trail Creek drainage and in the prairies to the northeast of the community of Polebridge." With those areas now secured, Saleen feels that fire fighters will be able to withstand wind events over the next several days.
While Saleen is pleased that the two most critical areas of the fire have been contained, he does warn that some very unusual fire behavior has been witnessed in the area over the past few days and that fire fighters must remain on a heighten level of awareness. 'We still have a potential that this fire will increase in acreage," said Saleen. Canadian fire managers are also concerned about the fire heading northeast through the park (Glacier National Park) and bumping into Canada. Saleen also warns that the western part of the fire needs a lot of mopping up in order to further secure the fire line and protect homes and natural resources in the area.
"Over the next several days, we are planning for some very active fire behavior," stated Saleen. "We are hoping for rain, but if rain doesn't come, fire fighters will continue to battle this fire."
Date Started: July 18, 2003
General Location: About 42 miles north of Columbia Falls Montana, and 6 miles south of the Canadian border.
Current Size: 52,030
Containment: 81%
Expected Containment Date: September 15, 2003
Potential Threats: Unique old growth timber. Important recreation, fisheries and scenic resources. Historic buildings and Kintla Campground. Homes along Trail Creek, Whale Creek and Tepee Lake Road, residents, and those living along North Fork, Whale Creek, Tepee Lake Roads (approximately 80 homes/cabins).
Injuries: 0 in last 24 hours. 25 total incident.
Jurisdiction: USDA Forest Service (Flathead National Forest). Flathead County, and Glacier National Park.
Other Cooperating Agencies: Montana DNRC, BIA and BLM.
Remarks: To date; 7 houses/cabins, 29 outbuildings were lost and 1 house/cabin damaged (July 26 and July 31, 2003).
Resources on the fire:
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